Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-06

As will be seen by the official proceeds
ings of the council meeting of last evcn~
ing, Mayor Blanding read message re.
viewing the recent charges of brutahiies
and negligence in the police force On
~ brief synopsis of the matter is given
in the proceedings. The document in
full is appended:
MAYORS OFFICE,
Rock Island Ill, Sept. S, 1885,
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Com plant has been made to me alleging
serious misconduct on the part of Police
Officers Long and Wichman. They are
charged with having arrested and placed
10 confinement at the Armory building
without reasonable and adequate cause,
Louis Sehnert, citizen of this city. who,
at the time of the arrest, was Just recov
ering from prOtracted illness of typhoid
fever, and who was still in such an en-
feebled condition that the action of the
police endangered a relapse of this much
dreaded disease. II Is further alleged
The arrest was made in a harsh and yio
lent manner and under circumstances
derogatory to their standing rs officers
and gentlemen. The arrest is not de
MED by these officers. but in all material
particulars the charges of inhumauity
and un>officerllke conduct are positively
denied. 1t would be unwise aud fatal to
the discipline and efficiency of the police
ID fo nffi
in the line of his duty, to the demands of
popular clamor, or remove him from of
flee for endeavori1g to enforce the pro-
visions of an unpopular law OF nrdl-
nance. Equally SO. neither police mans
agement nor the authority of law can be
invoked 10 shelter an officer in the per
formance of an Illegal act, or Justify the
doing of a legal act In an unlawful uan
ner much less should the wiliul abuse of
discretionary powers vested in au officer
be tolerated to the injury OF citizen or
the discredit of the police department
1t will be borne in h ind by the council,
however, that in this instance both of
these officers served as police during the
administration of Mayor Murdoch, that
they are not inexperienced and untamil>
lar with police duties. and that heretofore
no complaint of serious nature has ever
been made against the official conduct of
either officer. Both are understood to be
deslr0us that the affair should be thor
Ouehly and impai TALLY Investigated II
the material points of the allegations IN
this case were known with certainty to be
true, the mayor would have removed
these officers ere this and temporarily
appointed others in their place, but such
summary action has not been Tesorted to
because the statements made by various
parties in the case are disslmilar, con-
f'cting, probably, on some points exag-
eerated, and perhaps in measure are
cOlored and intensified by the incidents OF
tine event itself. As an act. therefore. OF
justice to the accused, of inqulrino
whether OF not the rights and privileges
Cf citizen have been unlaw fully invaded
and violated, and for the purpose of ar
irving at full and correct knowledge OF
the facts IN the Case so that the mavoI
may act advisedly and Understandings
IN the premises, it is hereby suggested
and recommended to the council that
special committee of two aldermen and
the city attorney be appointed to fully
and partially investigate the affair,
that the testimony in the case be
taken from witnesses under oath and
reduced to writing, and that the same be
embodied and presented to the MAYOR
and council in the committees report.
This suggestion Is the more earnestly
recommended to your attention from the
well known zeal and discretion of the
council in Judging of the merits and
qualifications of incumbents and appniut-
ees to city affairs.
An incident recently occurred in the
city of Davenport of which the mayor
and several of the aldermen were person
ally cOgnlzaDt, and which, to some ex>
tent, has become matter of public cons
ment. Publicity has necessarily tended
to excite both friendly and hostile inqui-
~. Dlvested OF all eXtraneous incidents
and considered in reference to the utility
OF the police service, the gravamen of
that occasion and OF all complaints vet
made to the mayor in the case of Officer
hosenneld apparently amount TO no more
thah ofeach OF ponce dlsclpline results
ing from lneAperience' LII thiS respect
tne nature OF the Complaints anu lhe con
sequences OF DIS acts dlnef essentlaiiy
from ,F the case vi Oincers Long ana
"icnhiah' "hiie 1t Is not 'ne uesife Oh
i.i''"'ion VI 'h' in"Soi' NUN hiu'''h Mus
yves VI iof any cause "hAVe'el' 70